Big week for Hov, with regards to milestones; not only did he topple Lil Wayne’s Billboard record for “Most Top 10 Singles By A Rapper” with 18 (“Niggas In Paris”), he announced that he’ll play a pair of benefit shows at one of NYC’s most sacred rooms, Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, on 2/6 and 2/7. Also, he stoked some hype flames by quickly addressing recording plans for 2012:

“It depends on how this thing finishes up,” Jay said in reference to his and Kanye’s current Watch the Throne Tour. “We — I say ‘we’ because I’m in Throne mode — we’re in a great place creatively. You might see a Jay, then Kanye and a Throne album next year. You know, we’re really in a great place creatively. We really found our zone.”

I covered Jay-Z’s book release party for Decoded at the NYPL, and the library’s director asked Jay-Z, “When was the first time you went to the New York Public Library?” Jay-Z responded, “Earlier today.” The whole room laughed, but he didn’t. Next stop on the high society warpath — Carnegie Hall.